Spring filled cushion



March 30, 1954 L. LARSEN ET AL SPRING FILLED CUSHION Filed March 12, 1948 2 SheetsPSheet l March 30, 1954 2,673,599

L. LARSEN ET AL SPRING FILLED CUSHION Filed March 12, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 25 J6 Zea/L5 Patented Mar. 30,, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRING FILLED CUSHION chusetts Application March 12, 1948, Serial No. 14,608

3 Claims. 1

Cross reference is hereby called to applicants (to-pending application Serial No. 407,244, filed February 1, 1954, entitled Method of Making Spring Filled Cushions, which claims the method.

This invention relates to improvements in spring filled cushions and method of makin the same and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The cushions, with which the invention is more especially concerned, are of the kind including a spring assembly having top and bottom border frames between which the sprJngs are disposed, a padding on the top of the assembly and a covering for the top and sides and ends thereof. Such cushions are used as the seats of certain kinds of chairs, as for instance, theatre chairs.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a strong, light-weight, spring-filled cushion, which is comfortable to sit upon, is durable and will not break down in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cushion of this kind which includes no wood in its construction.

Also, it is an object of the invention to provide a cushion of this kind wherein the cover is attached to the spring assembly without the use of tacks or other fastening elements.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a cushion of this kind, wherein the cover is so applied to the spring assembly that it may be readily removed for repair or for renewal, as the case may be.

Again, it is an object of the invention to rovide in a cushion of this kind'an arrangement of parts whereby the boxing for the cover is under tension to draw the same over the edge of the supporting member of the spring assembly, evenly about the periphery thereof so that the cover is free of wrinkles or folds which would detract from its appearance.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel method of applying a cover to the assembly without the necessity of tacks and the like and which may be carried out by persons havin no special skill in this kind of work.

The above mentioned objects of the invention, as well as others, together with the advantages thereof, will more fully appear as the specification proceeds.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a spring filled cushion in the form of a seat for a theatre chair,

embodying the preferred form of the inventon, parts thereofv being shown as broken away better to show the interior construction thereof.

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the cushion appearing in Fig. 1, on a scale somewhat enlarged over that of said Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical detail fragmentary sectional view through a bottom portion of the cushion as taken on the line 3-3 and on a scale enlarged over that of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the covering for the cushion in an inverted condition and more particularly illustrates the same in its condition before the spring assembly is applied thereto and shows the hoop in the hem of the boxing in its opened or extended condition and before the ends 0); the hoop have been joined together.

Fkg. 5 is a detail perspective view of a fragment of the boxing of the cover on a scale enlarged over that of Fig. 4 and shows the manner in which the open ends of the hoop are joined or connected to afford the continuity of the hoop when in the hem of the boxing.

Fig. 6 is a front to rear vertical sectional view through parts making up the cushion when disposed in an inverted condition and after the spring assembly and its padding has been disposed in the cover as an initial step in the assembly thereof.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 after the spring assembly has been placed in compression with the hoop containing hem disposed in a position permitting a joining of the ends of the hoop to constrict the hem so that it may be disposed, at least in part, within the peripheral edge of the supporting base or frame of the spring assembly to secure the cover thereto.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the improved cushion includes a spring assembly comprising a bottom border frame In, a top border frame ll, interposed upholstery springs |2--|2 and a top padding l3. The bottom border frame to, which forms the main support for the cushion, is substantially rectangular in shape and is made of angle bar with its horizontal flange l4 facing inwardly and with its vertical flange l5 facing downwardly, as best appears in Figs. 1 and 3. Fixed to and extending from the front to the rear of the frame are laterally spaced metallic straps l6 to which the bottom ends of rows of said springs l2-l2 are suitably attached, for support.

The top border frame is preferably made of wire and is set slightly forwardly of the bottom frame. The springs I2 are of the conical type and have their larger diameter ends disposed in the plane of the top border frame. The top ends of said springs are secured to each other and to the top frame in a conventional manner. The padding l3 rests upon the top ends of said springs and said frame I I and marginal parts of this padding depend below the frame, as best appears in Fig. 1.

The covering for the cushion is indicated as a whole by the numeral I! and best appears in its inverted position in Fig. 4. It may be made of a fabric or the like, such as used conventionally in coverings for seats. This covering is tailored for the assembly and it includes a top material i8, front and rear boxing portions 19 and 20 respectively and side boxing portions 2l--2l.

The bottom margin of the boxing portions mentioned are formed to provide a hem 22 in which is enclosed an open ended hoop 23 made of relatively stiff wire, and which hoop is provided at its ends with open eyes 2424 adapted for a hooked engagement with each other to act as a continuous or closed hoop. The hem mentioned is made by means of a sewing machine. In the tailoring of the cover, the operator takes the hoop in its open ended or extended position and folds the bottom margins of the boxing portions thereof just prior to the stitching and whereby the hoop is confined within the hem, with its eyes spaced apart and exposed at the center of the rear boxing portion 20, as best appears in Fig. 4.

When the covering I! has been hemmed to confine the open ended hoop as described, the hoop expands laterally, that is the sides of the hoop tend to spread and space the eyes 24 a suitable distance apart. In this condition the hem of the boxing portion has such an area that the spring assembly as a whole may be disposed within the same through the open end of the covering as defined by the hem.

In making the application, the covering is disposed in the inverted position shown in Fig. e, upon a suitable support 25, with the top covering material I8 engaged face down thereon, as best appears in Fig. 6. With the covering arranged in this condition, the spring assembly as a whole is turned bottom side up and is inserted into the wardly facing bottom of the assembly to compress the same and reduce its overall height from top to bottom. This compression force may be produced by a pressure actuated member 26, acting in a direction perpendicular to the support 25 and which member 26 appears in Fig. 7.

When the spring assembly is in compression, its height is reduced to one less than the height of the boxing portions 19, 20 and 2l-2i so that the hem 22 with the open hoop 23 therein is disposed a suitable distance above the frame It, as best appears in Fig. 7. Thus the hem is disposed in a position wherein it may be manipulated to be drawn over and inwardly of the flange I5 of the frame to overhang the same, after which the open eyes 24 of the hoop are disposed in such close relationship that they may be hooked together as a connection, as appears in Fig. to close the hoop. In this condition of the hem with the hoop disposed therein, said hem is constricted in its outline area and is located inwardly of the 4 flange I5 of the bottom frame, as best appears in Fig. 2.

Thereafter, pressure member 26 is elevated to release the compression on the spring assembly, which then expands. As the hem 22, with the closed hoop therein, is disposed within the outline area of the flange I5 of the frame and cannot escape therefrom, the expansion of the spring assembly tensions the boxing portions I9, 20 and 21-2 l, and draws the entire cover into a good smooth, snug fitting engagement upon the assembly free of folds or wrinkles. By reason of the inturned hem and hoop therein, the spring assembly cannot return to its normal expanded condition, but is held in a slightly compressed condition, which continually acts to keep the covering in a good fitting relation upon the assembly.

When a cushion of this kind is employed as the seat for a theatre chair, it is subjected to a continuous hard use and the covering is often torn or soiled to such an extent as requires a replacement thereof.

To remove a torn or soiled covering for the replacement by a new one, the cushion as a whole, after its removal from its associated chair, is again placed under compression so as to be in the condition of Fig. '7 and at which time the eyed ends 242G of the hoop 23 can be and are released or disconnected from each other. This permits the hem to be returned to the position appearing in Fig. 6, at which time it is free of tension. After the member 26 has been removed from the position mentioned, the covering as a whole may be peeled from the assembly and a new covering applied in the manner before described.

While in describing the invention we have referred in detail to the form, construction and arrangement of the parts embodied therein, as well as one way in which the covering and assembly are relatively applied, the same is to be considered only in the illustrative sense and therefore we do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A unitary assembly for a chair seat comprising a vertically resilient cushion including a top portion, a bottom border frame for the assembly having a substantially vertically downward extending flange having a bottom edge, a covering including a boxing enclosing said top portion and the periphery of said cushion and said frame, a portion of said boxing extending downwardly in the general direction of said flange and inwardly across said bottom edge thereof and terminating as a margin, a hoop secured to said margin and having ends, and means detachably connecting said ends together and constricting the outline of said hoop and said margin to one less than that of said flange whereby said covering is stretched around the cushion.

2. A unitary assembly for a chair seat comprising a vertically resilient cushion including a top portion, a bottom border frame of angle bar for the assembly including a substantially downwardly extending vertical flange and an inwardly extending top horizontal flange, said vertical flange having a bottom edge, a covering including a boxing covering said top portion and the periphery of said cushion and said frame, a portion of said boxing extending downwardly in the general direction of said vertical flange and inwardly across said bottom edge thereof and ter- 5 d ininating as a margin, a hoop secured to said of said hoop and said margin to one less than margin and having ends, and means detachably that of said flange whereby said covering is connecting said ends together and constricting stretched around the cushion. the outline of said hoop and said margin to one LEWIS LARSEN. less than that of said flange whereby said cov- EMIL S. MADSEN. ering is stretched around the cushion.

3 A unitary asse nbly for a chair seat com Referei'ioes Cited in the file Of this patent prising a border frame including a substantially UNITED STATES PATENTS vertically downward extending flange having a v bottom edge, spring means supported upon said 2 3 2 5 Name 5 33 12 5 Lehinann border frame and supporting a padding to ooact 1 219 790 7 therewith in rorming a cushion, a covering in i is arvey Owns m eluding a boxing enclosing the top of said c 59 ,135 Upharn June 22, 192% as Well as the periphery ther penph' 1,605,415 Willoughby Nov. 2, 1926 r! of Said and said frame a 15 1,864,477 Stannard June 21, 1932 tion of said oxing extending downwardly in the 2 241 Nordmark May 3 1941 general direction of Said flange and inwardly 2,322,336 Eady June 29, 1943 across said bottom edge thereof and terminating 2361370 Grunwald Oct. 31 1944 as a margin, a hoop secured to said margin and 2:525:670 Hamilton Oct-h 10, 5

having ends and means detachably connecting 20 said ends together and constricting the outline 

